Refuse vehicle



Jan. M, 1966 J, w. BoLLlNGER ETAL 3,228,545

REFUSE VEHICLE Filed Aug. 2, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Jan. H,1966 J, w, BoLLlNGl-:R ETAL 3,228,545

REFUSE VEHICLE Filed Aug. 2, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS cfa/v5.;MOM. #V65/a BZMMMM ATTORNEYS Jm- N 955 J. w. BOLLINGER ETAL 3,228,545;

REFUSE VEHICLE Filed Aug. 2, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 NVENTORS (jk/w55 WLB@MJA/65g ATToRNEYs' uff Jan. il, 1966 J. w, BOLLINGER ETAL. 3,228,545

REFUSE' VEHICLE Filed Aug. 2, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent O 3,228,545 REFUSE VEHICLE James W. Bollinger, Rte. 2, Box341, and Vernon M.

Bollinger, 405 Dyer Ave., both of Reisterstowu, Md.,

and James R. Bollinger, 8019 Eastdale Road, Baltimore 24, Md.

Filed Aug. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 478,028 Claims. (Cl. 214-503) The presentinvention i-s a continuation-in-part of my application, Serial No.387,885, filed August 6, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a refuse vehicle and more parrticularly itrela-tes to `an improved packing mechanism therefor.

An effective refuse vehicle is one which can be loaded completely andwill crush the refuse while being loaded so that the complete capacityof the storage compartment will be utilized. `Diliculties have beenencountered, however, in lling the capacity of the storage compartmentdue to the fact that previous packer mechanisms were unable to crushmetal cans and other containers suiciently so as to increase 'thepayload while minimizing the use of heavy mechanisms.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a refuse vehiclehaving an improved crushing mechanism which will effectively crush metalcans and other refuse prior to pushing them into the storagecompartment.

It is a further object of Ithis invention to provide a `crushing meanswhich will operate rapidly so as to crush and push Vrefuse into thestorage compartment as quickly as the refuse is brought to the truck.The crushing mechanism contemplated by this invention involves areciprocally driven packer means located within a packer compartmentwhich will progressively comp-ress the refuse and push the refuse `oncecompressed into the storage compartment. Therefore, it is within thescope of this invention to drive the packer means at a rate of speedwhich suiciently enables Ithe packer compartment to be emptied of refuseas rapidly as refuse is dumped into it.

In eifectively using the space provided in a refuse vehicle, it isdesirable to use -a minimum of space for the packing mechanism and amaximum of space for `storing the refuse once crushed. Heretofore, -somerefuse vehicles have utilized valuable space in the storage compartmentfor housing elaborate crushing or packing mechanisms. It is -an objectof this invention, therefore, to use only -a minimum of space in thestorage compartment for housing part of the packer mechanism, thusassuring that the storage compartment of the refuse vehicle can be lledto `approximately complete capacity.

Furthermore, by so positioning the crushing mechanism at the rear of therefuse vehicle and positioning the crushed refuse between the axles ofthe vehicle, the load is more evenly distributed.

It is a further object of this invention to have a cru-shing or packingmechanism of proportionately less weight than packing mechanismsutilized by other refuse vehicles.

Similarly, it is an object of this invention to have a crushingmechanism which will have more crushing capacity than comparable packingmechanisms found in other refuse vehicles.

It is a fur-ther object of this invention to provide a packing meanscomprising `a stepped plunger slidably positioned for reciprocalmovement within a packer compartment in which each step sizes the refuseload for the next step by compressing the refuse against a compressionsurface. Once compressed, the refuse is pushed into the storagecompartment by the bottom `step which includes avoiding means forpermitting small particles of refuse to pass under the step in order toprevent the step from binding on these small particles of refuse duringthe reciprocal Patented Jan. 1l, 1966 ice movement of the steppedplunger. Additionally, it is an object of the invention to providedeflection means on the stepped plunger for enabling the stepped plungerto deflect the refuse downwardly, to grip the refuse more easily as itis being crushed, and to exert an uneven crushing force against therefuse. It is a further object of the invention to provide means bywhich the bottom portion of rthe stepped plunger can be pivoted to allowrefuse caught behind the plunger to be moved into a position forwardofthe plunger.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a refuse vehiclehaving an elongated chassis mounted on front and rear wheels with a caband a motor mounted on a forward end thereof, an enclosed storagecompartment for carrying the refuse, a packer compartment for receivingthe refuse, a reciproc-ally driven packer means located within -thepacker compartment for progressively cornpressing the refuse landpushing the refuse once compressed into the storage compartment with aneffective means for dumping the refuse once the storage compartment islled and means for driving the packer means. Basically this dumpingmeans comprises means for removing a latch which secures the end gate ofthe storage Icompartment to the body of the compartment in a leak-proofmanner and means for effecting the pivotable movement of the end gatesuflicient distance from the body of the stor-age compartment so thatrefuse can be dumped from the vehicle without interference.

It is `a further object of this invention to provide shield means inorder to provide safe operation.

It is still a further object of this invention -to provide an auxiliarypushing means to aid in pushing the refuse into the storage compartment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a packer means comprisinga pair of plungers, one of which is positioned on top of the other, anda means for driving the plungers so that they reciprocate in oppositedirections with respect to each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of downwardlyextending fins transversely secured to the lower compression surface forgripping the refuse as it is being crushed.

These and other objects of this invention are more clearly depicted inthe following detailed description having specific reference to theattached drawings in which the embodiments of the invention are shown,not to limit the scope of the invention in any respect but that theprinciples thereof might be more clearly demonstrated.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l1 is a side elevation of the improved refuse vehicle;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the guide arm;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective View of a modication of tle guide arm partlyin section to show the interior there- 0 i FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary topplan view of the packer compartment;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 5-5 ofFIGURE 4:

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view of the ramp in the storagecompartment floor;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view `of part of the steppedplunger;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along thelines 8 8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the stepped plungershowing a modied bottom vertical portion 0f the plunger;

FIGURE l0 is a diagrammatic illustration showing a modified embodimentof the invention;

FIGURE ll is a sectional side elevated view of the packer compartmenttaken substantially along the same' 3 lines as FIGURE 5 and showing amodification of the invention;

FIGURE l2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the packerdrive means; and

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary plan view of the spring biasing means.

A refuse vehicle is shown in FIGURE 1 having` an elongated chassis 12supported on front 14 and rear 16 wheels. A cab 18 and a motor 20 aremounted on the forward end of the chassis 12 with an enclosed storagecompartment 22 mounted on the rear portion of the chassis. The enclosedstorage compartment is designed to carry refuse and the rear end 26 ispivotally mounted, as at 24, on the transverse rear end of the chassis12 so that forward end 28 of the storage compartment can be pivotedupwardly in order to dump the refuse out of the storage compartment.

The storage compartment 22 is defined by a pair of opposed side walls30, a rear transverse end wall 32, a forward transverse end wall 34. anda bottom wall 36. In View of health regulations it is also desirable toenclose the storage compartment with a top wall 38. The rear transverseend wall 32 is in part comprised of an end gate 40 which has transverseupper 42 and lower 44 ends. The end gate 40 is pivotally connected atits upper transverse end 42 to the storage compartment. As shown, theend gate comprises only a portion of the rear transverse end wall 32. Itwill be appreciated, however, that within the scope of the invention theend gate could comprise substantially all of the rear transverse endwall 32 and as such encompass the upper portion 46 of the rear end wall32.

A removable latch means 48 is operatively associated with the end gate40 and the storage compartment 22 for holding the end gate against therear end 26 of the storage compartment. The latch means is connected tothe storage compartment such that it is automatically removed when theforward end 28 of the storage compartment is pivoted upwardly.

As shown, the means S0 for removing the latch means so as to allow theend gate to pivot about its upper transverse end 42 during the upwardmovement of the front end of the storage compartment comprises a bar S2rigidly secured to the latch means 48 and which is positioned beneaththe storage compartment by support arrns 54 attached at one end 56 tothe storage compartment with the other end 58 pivotally connected toarms 60 which in turn are connected to bar 52. When a longitudinalmovement is imparted to bar 52, arms 60 confine the movement of thelatch means to a rearward and downward direction thus freeing the latchmeans from the end gate. A longitudinal movement is imparted to the bar52 by means of arm 62 pivotally attached to thestorage compartment atone end 64 and to connecting rod 68 at the other end 66. The connectingrod 68 is pivotally connected at its midpoint 70 to the chassis 12 andhas its other end 72 pivotally connected to the bar 52.

In operation, as the forward end of the storage compartment pivotsupwardly, the arm 62 is carried upwardly by the storage compartmentthereby pivoting the connecting rod about point 70. The other end 72 ofthe connecting rod begins to pivot` about its connection. However, astop means 74 is formed on the bar 52 slightly to the rear of thepivotal connection between the connecing rod and the bar52.Consequently, as the end 72 of the connecting rod rotates, it abuts thestop means 74 thereby driving the bar 52 rearwardly and downwardly.

It is within the scope of the invention to use any known mechanical orelectrical means for operating the latch means in order to free the endgate.

A packer compartment 76 for receiving refuse and subsequently crushingthe refuse is carried by end gate 40. The packer compartment has a pairof opposed packer side walls 78, a packer. surface means 80 defining anend wall adjacent to the lstorage compartment, a rear packer end wall 82disposed opposite the packer surface means and a bottom packer surface84.

As the storage compartment is pivoted about point 24, it will be seenthat the latch means 48 will be removed from the end gate so that theend gate will be slightly disposed from the rear end 26 of the storagecompartment. inasmuch as the packer compartment adds weight to the rearof the end gate, it pushes the gate slightly forward so that there isnot suicient opening through which refuse can pass. Therefore, it isdesirable to provide an assisting means 86 to assist the movement of thelower transverse ends 44 of the end gate 40 away from the rear end ofthe storage compartment.

The assistant means 86 comprises a chain means 88 operatively attachedat one end 90 to the center of the gate, as will be explained more fullyhereinafter, and preferably to the transverse center of the lowerVportion of the gate. The chain means is positioned over a iirst pulley92 rigidly supported from the end gate by first support means 94 at aposition spaced rearwardly from the end gate. The chain extendslongitudinally on top of the storage compartment and over a secondpulley 96 rigidly supported as by second support means 98 at a positionspaced above said storage compartment. A guide arm 100, shown in FIGURE2, has one end 102 connected to the other end 104 of the chain means.The other end 106 of the guide arm is pivotally connected to the chassis12 rearwardly adjacent to the cab 18 so as to enable the guide arm toassume a more axial extension of the chain thus limiting the moments offorce set up around the end 102 of the guide arm 100. Inasmuch as thechain has a fixed length, the upward movement of the forward end'of thestorage compartment will cause the end gate and packer compartment to bemoved upwardly and away from the rear end of the storage compartment.

Inasmuch as only relatively slight upward movement of the forward end ofthe storage compartment causes a rather substantial'displacement of theend gate and packer compartment from the rear end of the storagecompartment, it may be desirable to provide a chain means with `a lengthlonger than is necessary to join the center of the end gate to the guidearm by passing over the pulleys. Thus it is contemplated within thescope of this invention that such extra length of chain as might bedesirable in order to limit the displacement of the end gate could bespring retained to prevent it from flopping around.

As illustrated in FIGURE 3, the same effect may be accomplished byhaving a telescoping member 105 secured and spring bia-sed inwardlywithin the guide arm. In the dumping operation the telescoping member105 will be yextracted from the guide arm until retained by the top stopmeans 10'7 of the guide arm. At this point further upward movement ofthe storage compartment will impart a displacement movement to the endgate and packer compartment. Furthermore, depending on the position ofthe pulley means and the extent to which the rst pulley means ispivoted, it is within the scope of the invention toprovide alongitudinal recess within the top wall 38 of the `storage compartmentin which the chain means and/or pulley means may be positioned.

I-t will be appreciated that any means, such as hydraulic means 109, maybe employed to move the forward end of the storage compartment upwardly.

As shown more particularly in FIGURES 4 and 5, the packer surface means80may in part be defined by the end gate 80. The Vsurface means broadlycomprises a compression surface 108 which in part comprises an upperrigid compression surface 114 dening an opening 110 between its lowertransverse extent and the bottom packer surface 84. The passage ofrefuse through the -opening 110 is hindered by a lower compressionsurface 116 having its upper transverse edge 118 pivotally attached -tothe upper rigid compression surface 114 and defining a further part ofthe compression surface 108. Thelower compression surface is springbiased into a position of interference with the passage of refusethrough the opening 110, and, in the illustrated embodiment, the lowercompression surface is spring biased into substantial alignment with theupper rigid compression surface by spring means 128. It is notnecessary, however, that the lower compression surface be aligned withthe upper compression surface. Moreover, as illustrated, the lowercompression surface does not completely block off the opening 110, butit does provide a variable opening inasmuch as it can be biased upwardlyand away from the bottom wall of the packing compartment as refuse isbeing pushed therethrough. It will be appreciated, however, that theopening could be completely blocked by the lower compression surface.

As shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, a ramp 112 is recessed in the rear por-tionof the bottom wall 36 of the storage compartment. The ramp, beingrecessed in the bottom wall 36 of the storage compartment, extendsupwardly form a point below the bottom wall and inwardly into theinterior of the storage compartment. The outer extremity of the ramplies in a plane coextensive with the bottom packer surface 84 so as toform an extension thereof. It will be appreciated that the disclosure asillustrated involves forming a recess in the bottom wall of the storagecompartment. As such the packer surface means 80 extends below the endgate. It is within the scope of this invention, however, to have thepacker surface means 80 substantially defined by the end gate 40 suchthat the ramp is positioned above the bottom wall of the storagecompartment. In this form, the packing compartment can be more readilyattached to existing vehicles. Furthermore, the ramp and packercompartment may extend substantially across the entire width of thestorage compartment.

A flexible guide sheet 122 is pivotally connected to the lowertransverse end 124 of the lower compression surface 116. The flexibleguide Isheet extends inwardly and upwardly into the interior of thestorage compartment in a plane above and disposed from the ramp 112 soas to define a variable throat area 126 therebetween through whichrefuse is transferred from the packing compartment to the storagecompartment. The guide sheet prevents refuse from retreating through theopening 110 while further crushing the refuse. lf the lower compressionsurface completely blocked off the opening 110, the guide sheet could beeliminated.

The guide sheet, comprising a plurality of leafed sheets forfiexibility, is supported by support means 128 secured at one end 130 tothe guide sheet and slidably positioned through the end gate at theother end 132. A first stop means 134 is secured to the support means128 on the rear side of the end gate to position the guide sheet abovethe ramp. A second stop means 136 is secured to the support means 128 onthe other side or forward side of the end gate. As shown, the secondstop means 136 does not abut against the end gate in its normalposition. However, as the forward portion of the storage compartment israised, the chain means, being attached to the support member at end132, pulls the support member through the end gate until the stop means136 abuts against the end gate. Then the entire end gate is pivoted awayfrom the body of the storage compartment. The initial movement of thesupport member, however, enables the guide sheet to be pulled to aposition where it can clear the ramp during the pivotal movement of theend gate.

As shown, the spring means comprises a force transfer bar 140 pivotallysecured at one end 142 to brace bar 144 which is in turn rigidly securedto the lower compression surface 116 at one end 148. The other end 150of the force transfer bar is pivotally connected to arm 152 which inturn is pivotally connected to end gate 40. A balancing arm 154 ispivotally secured to the force transfer bar 140 between the two ends ofthe force transfer bar. A first spring means 156 is attached to the freeend of the balancing arm 154. The other end of the first spring means156 is Isecured to the force transfer bar at a point 160 between thepoint at which the balancing arm is attached to the -force transfer barand the other end so as to create a tension force between its connectingpoints. The balancing bar has a cross piece 161 rigidly secured theretointermediate its two ends. A set of second spring means 162 are eachsecured at one end 164 to the free end 166 of the cross piece 161. Theother end 168 of each spring means 162 is attached to the uppercompression surface 42 at a point adjacent to the lower compressionsurface 116.

A bracket 163 is secured to the force transfer bar 140 above thebalancing arm 154. A rod is threadably inserted through the bracket 163and bears upon the balancing arm 154. The rod may be adjusted to limitthe upward movement of the balancing arm 154 according to the desiredforce intended to be put on the lower compressing sheet.

Accordingly, it will be seen that the second spring means 162 pulls theforce transfer bar 140 downwardly through the pull on the balancing arm154 and the spring means 156. The downward pull on the force transferbar 14) determines the resistance of the lower compression surface tomovement out of a substantial alignment with the upper compressionsurface.

It will be seen that it is within the scope of the invention to mountthe balancing bar 154 rigidly to the force transfer bar 140 andaccordingly eliminate the first spring means 156, and bracket 163 andthe rod 165. The strength of the second spring means in this design willdetermine the downward pull on the force transfer bar 140.

Likewise, other spring biasing means within ordinary mechanicalknowledge may be employed within the scope of the invention.

A packer means 170 is positioned within the packer compartment forprogressively compressing the refuse and pushing the refuse oncecompressed through the opening and the throat area to the storagecompartment. The packer means 170 comprises a stepped plunger 172 whichis slidably positioned for reciprocal movement within the packercompartment and operatively associated with the compression surface 108.The stepped plunger 172 is guided by guide means 174 secured to theinner surface 176 of the opposed side walls 78. The stepped plunger 172comprises a plurality of longitudinal steps 178 with each step extendingtransversely across the packer compartment. Each of the steps is formedwith a horizontal plate 180 and vertical plate 182.

The vertical plate of the bottom step has avoidance means 184 forpermitting small particles of refuse to pass under the vertical plate soas to prevent these small particles from binding with the vertical plateand bottom packer surface during the reciprocal movement of the plunger.FIhe avoidance means 184, shown in FIGURE 7, comprises a series ofopenings 186 extending through the vertical plate adjacent to the bottompacker surface 84. Consequently, the transverse configuration of thevertical plate illustrates a toothed plate such that the small particlescan pass through the openings between the adjacent teeth. In thepreferred embodiment of the invention the upper portion 188 of thevertical plate 182 of the bottom step has a deflection means 189 securedthereto. In FIG- URES 7 and 8, the deection means is shown as anapproximately V-shaped member with the free ends of the legs of theV-shaped member being attached to the vertical plate. The deection meansextends transversely across the vertical plate and enables the steppedplunger to defiect refuse downwardly, to grip the refuse more easily asit is being crushed, such that the refuse is held in the appropriatecrushing relation to the compressing surface, and finally, to exert amore uneven crushing force against the refuse.

It is within the scope `of this invention to have a deflection meanssecured to the vertical portion of all these steps as shown in FIGUREand to assume any appropriate configuration.

A modification of the avoidance means 184 is shown in FIGURE 9. Thisavoidance means comprises an upper transverse section plate 190 having abushing means 192 secured to the lower portion 194 of the uppertransverse section plate 190. A lower transverse section plate 196 isreceived within the bushing means in a substantially vertical relationso as to be slidable therein. As shown, the lower transverse sectionalplate has its lower portion 198 bent slightly forward `of the steppedplunger so as to enable the lower transverse plate to catch and hold therefuse more easily as it is being pushed through the opening' into thestorage compartment. It is within the scope of the invention to positiona compression spring means within the bushing so as to force the lowertransverse plate downwardly into engagement with the bottom packersurface 84. It will be seen that as small particles of refuse gettrapped under the lower transverse section plate, these particles willforce the plate upwardly so as to prevent the plate from binding on theparticles during the reciprocal movement thereof. The upper transversesection plate extends partially downwardly behind the lower sectionplate so as to provide Vsupport therefor. It will be seen that the lowersection plate is pivotally received within the bushing means; however,the vertically downward extension of the upper transverse section platewill prevent the lower section plate from pivoting in a rearwarddirection, thus allowing the plate to form a rigid surface for pushingtherefuseinto the storage compartment. Furthermore, on the rearwardportion of the reciprocal movement of the stepped plunger, the lowertransverse section plate will pivot forwardly to allow any refuse caughtbehind the plate to move to a position forward of the stepped plunger.

In the modification of the avoidance means shown in FIGURE 9 there isalso included a deflection means which is pivotally connected to theupper portion of the vertical portion of the bottom step. Asillustrated, the deflection means is approximately a V-shaped member. Asecond compression spring means 202 extends from the upper transversesection plate to the inside surface 204 of the deflection means so as tomaintain the deflection means in a position disposed from the lowertransverse section plate. It will be seen, therefore, that bymaintaining the deflection means in such a disposed position, the lowersection plate may be pivoted forwardly during the rearward movement ofthe plunger. During the forward movement of the plunger, the refuseforces the deection means downwardly into engagement with the lowertransverse section plate so as to place the deflection means in aneffective position for accomplishing the objects heretofore set forth.

It is within the scope of the invention to include both avoidance meansillustrated herein in the same embodiment. Accordingly, the toothedplate would be positioned to the rear of the bushing and slidable lowertransverse section plate and would provide the support that the uppertransverse section plate provides for the lower transverse sectionplate.

In addition, as shown in FIGURES, the packer vcompartment has a scrappermeans 206, such as a coarse hair brush or rubber piece, secured thereinand positioned above and adjacent to the uppermost surface 208 of theplunger so as to prevent refuse from falling behind the plunger duringthe reciprocal movement thereof.

Opposed internal walls 210 are secured to theend gate above andapproximately coextensive with the sides 212, see FIGURE 6, of the ramp112 so that the walls 210 will pivot with the end gate out of the way ofrefuse. An apron means 214 is secured across the top of the walls 210and together with the walls prevent refuse from being commingled withthe spring biasing means. The guide sheet 122 also serves to preventrefuse from being commingled with the spring biasing means through theforward opening between the two walls 210.

The chassis additionally has means 216 for reciprocally driving thepacker means secured thereto. The means 216 for driving the packer meanscomprises a drive shaft 218 connected at one end 220 to the motor means20 and connected at the other end 222 through a first flexible coupling224 to a link arm 226. The link arm in turn is connected through asecond flexible coupling 228 to a power transfer means 230 whichtranslates the rotary packer of the drive shaft into rotary power atapproximately to the drive shaft. A crank arm 232 is driven by the powertransfer means and is connected at one end 234 to the vertical plate ofthe step adjacent to the bottom step so that the main driving force willbe substantially behind the surface which incurs the greatestcompressing stress. Preferably there is a set of crank arms, each drivenon one side of the power transfer means and connected to the steppedplunger at transversely disposed positions so as to prevent the packermeans from binding due to unequal resistance on one side of the steppedplunger or another.

As illustrated, the power transfer means extends through the bottom wall84 of the packer compartment. The power transfer means should be sealedtightly to the bottom wall 84 so as to prevent liquid from seepingthrough the wall.

The means for driving the packer means imparts a reciprocatinglongitudinally movement to the packer means thereby progressivelycrushing the refuse and once crushed forcing the refuse into the storagecompartment. Thus, when the packer means comprises a stepped plunger,each stroke thereof sizes the refuse for the next step until the refuseis sufficiently crushed to be pushed into the storage compartment. It isalso apparent that other means within the ordinary mechanical knowledgecan be employed to drive the plunger.

The drive shaft has a spline arrangement 231 so that the shaft may beseparated at approximately the rear end of the chassis during thedumping step. It is within the Scope of the invention to employ anymeans within ordinary mechanical knowledge which will enable the driveshaft to be separated and put back together without removing a fasteningdevice.

It is also within the scope of the invention to provide first shieldmeans 236 which comprise a pair of plates 238 pivotally attached to thesides 176 of the packer compartment. The plates 238 are spring biasedoutwardly by spring means (not shown) so as to provide a catching meansfor any refuse which might fly out of the packer compartment. Thepivotal connection will enable the shield means to pivot into a positioncontinuous with the side wall 176 when refuse is dumped into the packerCompartment. A second shield means 240 is pivotally connected on thepacker surface means S0 for the same purpose as the first shield means.A spring means 242 holds the second shield means 240 at a positiondisposed from the packer surface means 80.

It is also within the scope of this invention to include a set ofrestriction means 244, see FIGURE 5, within the opening so as to holdrefuse on the rearward stroke of the rearward movement of the plunger.

Still further, it is within the scope of this invention to include anauxiliary pusher means 246, as shown in FIGURE l0, for aiding theinsertion of refuse into the storage compartment. The auxiliary pushermeans comprises three separate metal sheets, 248, 250 and 252,Vextending transversely across the packing compartment. The lower sheet252 is contour formed so as to be attached to the guide sheet 122 at oneend and at the other end extending transversely across the packingcompartment at a position disposed from the compression surface 116. Thesheet 252 is pivotally connected at its other end to an intermediatesheet 250. The pivotal connection lies in a horizontal planeintermediate the horizontal planes intersecting the pivotal connectionsat the upper 118 and lower 124 edges of the compression surface 116. Thesheet 250 is in turn pivotally connected to the upper sheet 248 at oneend in a horizontal plane above the horizontal plane intersecting theupper transverse edge 118. The other end of sheet 248 is spring`connected to the compression surface 108 below the shield means 240 soas to be spring biased upwardly. In operation, the refuse forces theguide sheet 122 and compression surface 116 upwardly, the auxiliarypusher means is pulled and rotated downwardly, through the give of thespring connector 254 and through the location of the pivotal connectionsof the three sheets so as to exert an auxiliary pushing force on therefuse when it is pushed into the storage compartment. In thisembodiment of the invention the lower sheet 252 may be flared, as at256, in order to provide the restriction means 244.

FIGURES ll and l2 illustrate another embodiment of the means forprogressively compressing the refuse and pushing it, once compressed,into the storage compartment. In this embodiment the packer means 170comprises a pair of plungers, 258 and 260, with one plunger 258 beingpositioned on top of the other plunger 260. The plungers are so arrangedthat they can be reciprocated by the packer drive means 216 in oppositedirections with respect to each other. Broadly, therefore, the packerdrive means 216 in this embodiment comprises means 262 for reciprocallydriving one of the plungers as at 260, and linkage means 264 connectedat one end to the reciprocally driven plunger 260 and at the other endto the other plunger 258 for transmitting the reciprocal motion of thefirst plunger to the other plunger but in a manner such that theplungers are moved in opposite directions with respect to each other.Preferably one of the plungers is stepped, and in the illustratedembodiment the upper plunger 258 is stepped, the top step 266 beingconnected to and supported on the bottom step 268 but not beingconnected to the linkage end.

More specifically, the means 216 for driving `one of the plungers couldcomprise the drive means previously illustrated such as a power transfermeans 23W which drives a crank arm 232 connected to one of the plungers,as at 260. The linkage means 264 is shown comprising a pivot bar 266pivotally attached intermediate its two ends to the side wall 78 of thepacker compartment by a U-shaped bracket 268. A first linkage bar 270connects one end of the pivot bar to the reciprocally driven plunger260. A second linkage bar 271 connects the other end of the pivot bar tothe other plunger 258. Therefore, it will be seen that in operation thereciprocal movement of the first plunger causes the second plunger tomove in the opposite direction. It will also be appreciated that thelinkage could be arranged to multiply or reduce the movement of thesecond plunger.

As further shown in this embodiment in FIGURES l1 and 13, the lowercompression surface 116 is spring biased into substantial alignment withthe upper rigid compression surface 114 and substantially closes theopening 110 thereby eliminating the necessity of the guide sheet. Amodified and simpler spring biasing means 120 is also shown in thisembodiment and comprises a camming arm 272 attached to the meansdefining the lower compression surface 116 and extending upwardly intothe storage compartment. A spring means 273 is attached between thecamming arm 272 and the means defining the upper rigid compression 114surface so as to force lower compression surface into substantialalignment with the upper rigid compression surface.

In addition, the chain means 88 is shown extending through the end gate40 of the storage compartment and being attached to a bracket 274secured at one end to the means defining the lower compression surface.A stop means 276 is secured to the chain intermediate the end gate andthe bracket. When refuse is dumped from the refuse vehicle, the chain istightened until the stop means abuts the end gate. Thereafter, the endgate is pulled away from the end of the storage compartment. It will beseen, however, that this initial tightening of the chain causes themeans defining the lower compression surface to be pulled out ofsubstantial alignment with the upper rigid compression surface so thatany refuse trapped in the packer compartment can be dumped along withrefuse from the storage compartment.

One further feature shown in this embodiment is the provision of aplurality of downwardly extending fins 278 transversely secured to thelower compression surface 116. These fins cause the refuse to be grippedas it is being crushed.

While the invention has described primarily an improved refuse vehicle,it will be appreciated that the packing compartment can be added to anyexisting truck for the purposes described herein.

While a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated in thedrawings and discussed above, it should be adequately clear thatconsiderable modification may be made thereto without departing from theprinciples of the invention. Therefore, the foregoing should beconsidered in an illustrative sense rather than a limiting sense andaccordingly the extent of this invention should be limited only by thespirit and scope of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. A refuse vehicle comprising: an elongated chassis supported on frontand rear wheels having a cab and a motor mounted on the forward endthereof andv having an enclosed storage compartment for carrying refusepivotally mounted on the transverse rear end of said chassis and locatedrearwardly of said cab, said storage compartment having at least abottom wall and a rear transverse end wall, said rear transverse endwall comprising substantially an end gate with transverse upper andlower ends, said end gate being pivotally connected at its uppertransverse end to said `storage compartment and having removable latchmeans operatively associated therewith for holding said gate against therear end of said storage compartment; a packer compartment for receivingrefuse carried by said end gate, said packer compartment having at leasta pair of opposed packer side walls, a bottom packer surface, andsurface means defining a packer end wall adjacent to said storagecompartment, said surface means comprising an upper rigid compressionsurface defining an opening between its lower transverse extent and saidbottom wall of said packer compartment, and a lower compression surfacepivotally connected to said upper rigid compression surface; springbiasing means for biasing said lower compression surface into a positionat least partially interfering with the passage of refuse through theopening; packer means located within said packer compartment forprogressively compressing the refuse and pushing the refuse oncecompressed into said storage compartment; and means for reciprocallydriving said packer means.

2. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 1 additionally comprising meansfor pivoting the front end of said storage compartment upwardly withrespect to its rear end; and means for removing said latch means so asto allow said end gate to pivot about its upper transverse end duringthe upward movement of said front end of said storage compartment toallow the refuse to be dumped.

3, The refuse vehicle defined in claim 2 wherein said means to removesaid latch means is operatively connected to said storage compartment sothat said latch means is automatically removed when said front end ispivoted upwardly.

4. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 2 additionally comprisingassisting means to assist the movement of the lower transverse ends ofsaid gate away from the rear end of said storage compartment during theupward movement of said front end of said storage compartment to allowthe refuse to be dumped more easily.

5. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 4 wherein said assisting meanscomprises a chain means operatively attached at one end to the centerportion of said gate, said chain means being positioned over a firstpulley rigidly supported from said end gate by first support means at aposition spaced rearwardly from said storage compartment and extendinglongitudinally on top of said storage compartment and over a secondpulley rigidly supported on said storage compartment by second supportmeans at a position spaced above said storage compartment; and a g-uidearm having one end connected to the other end of said chain means andhaving the other end pivotally connected to said chassis rearwardlyadjacent to said cab so as to enable said arm to be substantially an.axial extension of the other end of said chain thus exerting an axialholdingforce on said chain.

6. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 1 additionally comprising a pairof opposed internal walls attached to said end gate and positionedadjacent to said spring biasing means and an apron means secured to saidwalls for enclosing said spring biasing'means so as to prevent saidrefuse from being commingled with said spring biasing means.

7. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein said storagecompartment has a ramp secured to the rear end of the bottom wall ofsaid storage compartment and extending from the bottommost definedsurface of said opening inwardly and upwardly 'into the interior of saidstorage compartment and a flexible guide sheet pivotally connected tothe lower transverse end of said lower compression surface and extendinginwardly and upwardly into the interior of said storage compartment inaplane above and disposed from said ramp so as to define va variablethroat area therebetween for transferring said refuse into said storagecompartment, said guide sheet being supported in said disposed positionfrom said ramp by support means having two free ends, one end of saidsupport means being secured to said guide sheet and the other end ofsaid support means being operatively secured to said end'gate of saidstorage compartment.

8. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 1 additionally comprising guidemeans `secured to the inner surface of said opposed side walls forguiding said reciprocal movement of said packer means.

9. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein said packer meanscomprises a stepped plunger slidably positioned-for reciprocal movementwithin said packer compartment and operatively associated with saidcompression surface and said opening for progressively compressing therefuse and pushingthe refuse once compressed into said storagecompartment. Y

10. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 9 wherein said steppedplungercomprises a plurality of-longitudinal steps with each step extendingtransversely across said packer compartment, each of said steps having ahorizontal and vertical plate, the vertical plate of the bottom step ofsaid plurality of steps comprising avoidance means for permitting smallparticles of refuse to pass under said vertical plate to prevent saidsmall particles from binding with said vertical plate during thereciprocal movement of said plunger.

11. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 10 wherein said avoidance meanscomprises an upper transverse section plate; bushing means secured tosaid upper transverse section plate; and a lower transverse sectionplate substantially vertically slidably received within said bushing soas to be able to vertically rise over said small particles of refuse toprevent binding.

12. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 11 wherein said lower transversesection plate is pivotally mounted in said bushing means so that saidlower transverse section plate will pivot only in a forward directiontoward said cab to allow any refuse caught behind said lower transversesection plate to move to a position in front of said lower transversesection plate during the rearward portion of said reciprocal movement ofsaid stepped plunger.

13. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 10 wherein said avoidance meanscomprises a vertical plate having a toothed transverse configurationformed by openings extending through said plate adjacent to said bottomsurface whereby said small particles of refuse can pass through saidopenings in said vertical plate to `prevent said vertical plate frombinding thereon.

14. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 10 additionally comprising adeflection means secured to the front upper portion of each of saidvertical plates of said steps and extending transversely across saidvertical portion enabling said stepped plunger to deflect the refusedownwardly, to grip the refuse moreeasily as it is being crushed, and toexert an uneven crushing force against the refuse.

15. Therefuse vehicle defined in claim 14 wherein said deflection meansis pivotally connected to the upper portion of said vertical plate ofthe bottom step, said deflection means being spring biased away fromsaid vertical plate to allow said vertical plate to pivot toward saiddeflection means.

16. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 7 additionally comprising meanssecured to said flexible guide sheet for assisting in pushing refuseinto said storage compartment.

17. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 1 wherein said packer meanscomprises a pair of plungers, one of said plungers being positioned ontop of the other of said plungers, and wherein said packer drive meansreciprocates said plungers in opposite directions with respect to eachother.

1S. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 17 wherein at least one of saidplungers is stepped.

19. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 17 wherein said packer drivemeans comprises means for reciprocally` driving one of said plungers,and linkage means connected at one endto said reciprocally drivenplunger and at the other end to said other plunger for transmitting saidreciprocal motion of said first plunger to said other plunger and forreciprocally driving said other plunger in a direction opposite to thatof said first plunger.

20. The refuse vehicle defined in claim 1 additionally comprising aplurality of downwardly extending fins transversely secured to saidlower compression surface.

No references cited.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

A. J. MAKAY, Assistant Examiner.

1. A REFUSE VEHICLE COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED CHASSIS SUPPORTED ON FRONT AND REAR WHEELS HAVING A CAB AND A MOTOR MOUNTED ON THE FORWARD END THEREOF AND HAVING AN ENCLOSED STORAGE COMPARTMENT FOR CARRYING REFUSE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE TRANSVERSE REAR END OF SAID CHASSIS AND LOCATED REARWARDLY OF SAID CAB, SAID STORAGE COMPARTMENT HAVING AT LEAST A BOTTOM, WALL AND A REAR TRANSVERSE END WALL, SAID REAR TRANSVERSE END WALL COMPRISING SUBSTANTIALLY AN END GATE WITH TRANSVERSE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS, SAID END GATE BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ITS UPPER TRANSVERSE END TO SAID STORAGE COMPARTMENT AND HAVING REMOVABLE LATCH MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED THEREWITH FOR HOLDING SAID GATE AGAINST THE REAR END OF SAID STORAGE COMPARTMENT; A PACKER COMPARTMENT FOR RECEIVING REFUSE CARRIED BY SAID END GATE, SAID PACKER COMPARTMENT HAVING AT LEAST A PAIR OF OPPOSED PACKER SIDE WALLS, A BOTTOM PACKER SURFACE, AND SURFACE MEANS DEFINING A PACKER END WALL ADJACENT TO SAID STORAGE COMPARTMENT, SAID SURFACE MEANS COMPRISING AN UPPER RIGID COMPRESSION SURFACE DEFINING AN OPENING BETWEEN ITS LOWER TRANSVERSE EXTENT AND SAID BOTTOM WALL OF SAID PACKER COMPARTMENT, AND A LOWER COMPRESSION SURFACE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID UPPER RIGID COMPRESSION SURFACE; SPRING BIASING MEANS FOR BIASING SAID LOWER COMPRESSION SURFACE INTO A POSITION AT LEAST PARTIALLY INTERFERING WITH THE PASSAGE OF REFUSE THROUGH THE OPENING; PACKER MEANS LOCATED WITHIN SAID PACKER COMPARTMENT FOR PROGRESSIVELY COMPRESSING INTO SAID STORAGE COMPARTMENT; AND MEANS COMPRESSED INTO SAID STORAGE COMPARTMENT; AND MEANS FOR RECIPROCALLY DRIVING SAID PACKER MEANS. 